Egypt, Iran criticise US over Ferguson clashes

A protester stands in the street after police fired tear gas to disperse a crowd Sunday, Aug. 17, 2014, during a protest for Michael Brown, who was killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. (AP/CHARLIE RIEDEL)

The governments of Iran and Egypt have criticised the US for its handling of ongoing protests in the US city of Ferguson, Missouri. The protests were ignited by the August 9 shooting death of an unarmed black teen, Michael Brown, by a white policeman. Police have reportedly used tear gas and stun grenades on those participating in mostly peaceful protests.

On Sunday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei commented of the ongoing demonstrations on his Facebook and Twitter accounts. Below is an image posted on Khamenei's Facebook page with a quote, "Look, in a country that claims to support freedom and human rights, the problem of racial discrimination has not been solved yet".

Egypt, Iran criticise US over Ferguson clashes

Countries frequently denounced by the US for human rights violations return the favour.

On Tuesday, Egypt's foreign ministry called on the US to exercise restraint in its handling of the protests, mirroring language the US has used with Egypt in the past. State-run media outlets in China and Russia also joined the criticism.

On Tuesday, human rights group Amnesty International called out the US on Twitter:

US can't tell other countries to improve their records on policing and peaceful assembly if it won't clean up its own human rights recordAmnestyInternational